Lambeth

Lambeth's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and ethnicity.

The population passed 300,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Lambeth increased by 14%, from about 266,000 to 303,000.

The addition of just under 37,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lambeth was home to, on average, 81 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Lambeth

Latest census data also show that the median age of Lambeth remained 31 years in the decade to 2011.

This cosmopolitan area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 12,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by just under 600.

About 15% of people in Lambeth are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Lambeth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Lambeth

The number of people in Lambeth that described themselves as Christian remained close to just over 160,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 59% to 53%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across London (from 58% to 48%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Lambeth that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 58,000 in 2001 to just under 85,000 in 2011 (from 22% to 28%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 29,000 to just under 27,000 (from 11% to 8.7%).

About 22,000 people (5.4%) said they were Muslim, up from about 14,000 in 2001 (7.1%).

The population who identified as Christian in Lambeth decreased by 5.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Lambeth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Lambeth that rented privately increased from 20% to 29% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in three (35%) households lived in social housing, compared with 41% in 2001. The percentage of Lambeth households that owned their home decreased from 37% to 33%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 15% in 2001 to 25% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Lambeth increased by 9.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lambeth, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Lambeth

The percentage of Lambeth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.2% to 2.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.3%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.7% in 2001. The percentage of Lambeth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 93%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Lambeth

The number of people in Lambeth from the White ethnic groups remained close to just over 170,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 62% to 57%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across London (from 71% to 60%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Lambeth from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 69,000 in 2001 to about 79,000 in 2011. Both of these figures represented about 26% of the total population at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses. The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 13,000 to just over 23,000 (from 4.8% to 7.6%).

Just under 21,000 people (5.8%) said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from just under 16,000 in 2001 (6.9%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Lambeth decreased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Lambeth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lambeth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.2% to 4.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (85%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Lambeth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 10%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lambeth decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lambeth, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Lambeth residents that were self-employed increased from 8.6% to 11% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 53% in 2001. The percentage of Lambeth residents that were unemployed decreased from 6.1% to 6.0%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 9.0% in 2001 to 12% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment in Lambeth increased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Lambeth, London and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Lambeth, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.5% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) households had only one person, compared with 38% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lambeth which comprised a married couple (with or without children) remained close to 18%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.1% in 2001 to 8.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across London

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Relationships in Lambeth

The percentage of married people fell in Lambeth, while rising in Hammersmith and Fulham (one of the most statistically similar areas to Lambeth based on ONS area classifications).

In Lambeth, the proportion came down from 28% in 2001 to 27% in 2011, while across England it went up from 29% to 30%. During the same period, the regional proportion fell from 42% to 40%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Lambeth increased from 56% to 58%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner remained close to 11%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Lambeth without children decreased from 67% to 66% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in four (27%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lambeth with only adult children living with their parents increased from 6.6% to 6.9%.

The proportion of households without children fell at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of London (from 62% in 2001 to 60% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across London

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Lambeth working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Lambeth residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.3%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Lambeth remained close to 1.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Lambeth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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